It’s no fun being critical or controlling. It makes you feel miserable; it ruins the atmosphere, and you don’t usually get what you want anyway. Maybe if your voice is low and calm, then you can express what you want clearly, and it will get done. The problem may be that you are struggling to express what you want without being critical and controlling. I know the people in my family don’t respond well to being micromanaged, and I didn’t even realise I was doing that. It real

I have got better at swinging my mood. When my thoughts are sliding into a whirlpool, I have a few tricks and thoughts I turn to. Sometimes I wait too long and find myself in a spin of gloom, but it doesn’t last as long as it used to. Practising the skill of making myself happy has definitely improved the lives of those I live with. If you ignore yourself and what you enjoy, it often leads to depletion, resentment and grouchiness. If you feel guilty for resting, pursuing your

I felt hemmed in today by everyone’s emotions. I couldn’t see what the next good thing was for me to do. I’d had my coffee, but I still couldn’t think clearly - so I changed my shoes, grabbed my phone, and told my family I was going for a walk. Walking helps me clarify my thoughts and figure out my feelings. When you are walking, you can sift through the things you need to do and what you can let slide because it’s not yours to carry. When I feel hemmed in by emotions